Finding New Purpose: The One By Your Side
by angel-san801
Summary: With a new love found, and his old way of life lost, will Will be able to cope with the many changes he's forced to bear even with his loving companion's support? Horace/Will slash. Sequel to Harsh Words and Realizations on hiatus


**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice in any way shape or form**

**Warnings: slash as per usual**

_Well, this has really been a long time coming. I really had meant to write this sooner, but… Well, if good intentions were stories I'd have written 1,000 by now (or at least finished the ones I've started)._

_Also, may it be noted that I know next to nothing about nerve/muscle damage related to having one's arm nearly hacked off or the recovery process of said injury. Everything I write is just made up BS that sounds fairly reasonable._

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><p>Learning to live with the use of only one arm was a difficult adjustment. Well, mostly just one arm. It had been nearly a month since Will had received his injury, and though slowly, he had managed to make some rather impressive strides in recovering movement.<p>

Impressive to others at least. When it came to the patient himself, nothing seemed good enough. Being able to just barely lift his arm was not going to be enough to keep him in the ranger corps. Their standards were a bit higher then that. And though he had already been told otherwise, the young ranger- for he could not bear to think of himself as anything else- had been determined from the moment he was deemed well enough to start the arduous task of rehabilitation to regain every bit of strength he had once possessed. It didn't matter what the old healer had said. Fate would not be so cruel as to steal away the one thing he had dedicated his whole life to, the thing he had worked to hard for, the thing that practically defined who he was as a human being.

Truth be told, Will was in denial. And heavily so.

For the past few weeks, Will had been living with Malcolm in his house in Grimsdell woods- after the old healer had declined staying at castle Macindaw- while his injury finished healing up and while the healer walked him through the recovery process.

His report, as was required had already been sent. Seeing as he could not move his writing hand, he had only dictated the letter, while Horace had kindly volunteered to do the actual writing. Though he was reluctant to add the information, it had included the explanation of his injury if only as the reason he could not yet return to his post in Seacliff fief. He hadn't gone into much detail on that part when telling his friend what to write, but he was pretty sure the warrior had said more then he wanted him to as he had refused to let him see the letter after its completion. Meaning that it no doubt told of the permanence of his injury. The fact that he may be crippled…

A corresponding letter had come back to him nearly a week ago. Will had yet to read it.

Though he wouldn't admit it, it scared him what the letter might say. As resolved as he was to get back to the way he was before, in the back of his mind he knew that if what he feared happened… if he were to be kicked out of the Ranger Corps then his delusions would be shattered and all hope along with them.

It didn't help his mood that Horace would be leaving today. His friend had stayed with him as long as he could trying to support the young ranger during this difficult time, but he could only stay so long before he was required to return to his regular duties back at Castle Araluen. He was actually probably already pushing it, but he had told Will he would be there for him and he didn't want that to be a lie. Even if Will had been insisting this whole time that he could leave.

"Are you sure you don't need me to stay?" The warrior asked for possibly the hundredth time since plans for his departure had first been decided.

Will rolled his eyes and gave an exasperated sigh, "_yes_, Horace!"

"Yes you need me?"

"Yes I _don't _need you!"

"What a horrible thing to say. I thought you loved me", the warrior gave his best fake hurt expression.

Will rolled his eyes again. He knew Horace was trying to lighten things up, he just wasn't really in the mood for it right then. In fact, he hadn't been in a joking mood since that cursed letter had come. Without really thinking, he found his eyes falling to where it lay on the small wooden nightstand by the bed.

The warrior seemed to follow his gaze. Sharper then he was sometimes given credit for, a look of understanding quickly crossed his face.

"Will…", he started, and the ranger quickly turned back to him, trying (and failing) to appear nonchalant. He hadn't been looking at anything! Yeah right. "You know you'll have to open it some time."

"I'm… going to, I just…" the ranger trailed off. He just what? He wasn't really sure. Would the letter tell him he could no longer be a ranger? Of course it would… how could he still be one as he was now… Unless of course he was to be told in person, in which case a meeting would probably be set up… to the same effect as being told straight out. His still working hand absently fingered the silver oak leaf around his neck.

Horace was silent for a moment, looking sadly at his friend, "do you want me to read it for you…?"

Will sighed, letting his hand fall back to his side. "No, I… I will… later…"

The ranger's head was lowered, but one of the warrior's hands came to lift it up as he leaned down to kiss him.

Which was right when Malcolm walked into the room.

Will jerked away abruptly, already blushing. "I-I didn't hear you coming! W-we were just…" He really hadn't heard him at all. He was appalled at how rusty he had apparently been getting from all this resting. How could he call himself a ranger if… oh. That thought hit a bit too close to home.

The old healer raised an eyebrow, "yes, I saw what you were doing." And then when Will looked surprised at his response, "I'd have to be blind and deaf not to know about you two. It's fine by me. I'm not one to judge others." Living secluded from normal society and providing safe haven to all other misfits, it would hardly seem prudent for him to judge their lifestyle choice. "Anyway, I thought I should say goodbye to your little boyfriend before he leaves."

Will looked further embarrassed by his choice of words, and Horace chuckled at the young ranger's reaction.

"Yeah, I suppose it's time I got out of your hair. Thanks for letting me stay this long, and for taking care of Will and everything."

"You should be thanking me for the food. You've nearly eaten me out of house and home", the healer chided, but he was smiling nonetheless, and the two younger men smiled and laughed good-naturedly in response.

Horace really could eat. It was a good thing he got so much exercise.

"I suppose I'll let you finish your farewells. I was just about to go gather herbs. Outside, out of earshot", Malcolm said, going to leave.

Horace grinned at the obvious suggestion of his statement, and Will just looked embarrassed again.

"I almost wish people would be less okay with this…" Will muttered to himself.

Horace pretended he hadn't heard the negative statement. "So… Would you like to take advantage of our alone time…?" the warrior asked suggestively as soon as they heard the door shut, lifting Will's chin with his hand and placing another kiss on his lips.

The ranger grinned, embarrassment forgotten. "Of course…" his voice held a teasing, seductive tone to it, as he tugged the warrior's shirt with his good hand, leading them to the bed.

Horace laughed, "someone's impatient today."

Will made a little huffing noise, tugging again.

"Okay, okay! But wait just a second", the warrior quickly went to lock the bedroom door, "just in case."

Horace smiled coming back, and then before his friend could protest, swiftly whisked him into his arms, carrying him rather unnecessarily the few steps to the bed.

"P-put me down!" Will squeaked, and Horace complied, plopping him down on the bed rather unceremoniously, quickly coming to join him.

The bed was a bit small and creaked loudly with both their weight added to it.

"Mmm…" Will moaned, as Horace began kissing and nibbling at his neck, his hands working on getting off the ranger's pants.

Will tried to get some of Horace's clothes off as well, but only being able to use his left arm made the task difficult. The warrior, not wanting to give his friend the chance to get discouraged, quickly stripped his clothes off himself, casually tossing them onto the floor, swiftly followed by Will's pants.

Getting Will's shirt off was the hardest part. Though his wound was for the most part healed, he still kept his right arm in a sling most of the time simply so it would not always be limply swinging around when he moved. Horace eventually got it off, having to remove the sling first, and having only a slight bit of difficulty getting his immobile arm out of it's sleeve.

Finally, both completely naked, they could really get down to business.

Horace wasted no time in starting to stretch Will (yes, maybe he was feeling a bit impatient as well), quickly spitting on his fingers first before wriggling them in one at a time. All the while, laying little kisses down the young ranger's torso and neck trying to distract him from any pain he was causing.

"Nngh, s-slow down, would you…!", Will gasped as the warrior added a third finger a bit too quickly.

"Sorry", Horace apologized, trying to be more careful, "its just…"

"Just…?" Will asked, and then bit back a moan as Horace's fingers brushed his prostate.

The warrior hesitated a moment, pausing for a moment in his current task of preparing his friend, "Its just… I realized this is the last time we'll be getting to do this for a while, and… its just hard to hold myself back when I don't know how long it'll be before I see you again." He paused once more, seeming unsure whether he should go on or not, "you'll write me won't you? When… when you figure out what's going to happen to you?"

Oh… That. Will averted his eyes. This wasn't something he wanted to be thinking about right now…

He took a moment, but finally sighed, nodding, "when I find out, I'll tell you. Now, can we get back to…?"

Will trailed off suggestively as his left hand sneakily reached down to Horace's already hard cock, teasingly fondling it with his lithe fingers.

The warrior saw no problem with that idea. He took the ranger's lips in a quick kiss as he pulled his fingers out. Will opened his legs wider before Horace could do it for him. He noticed the ranger was fully hard now too. The warrior grinned, quickly scooting up a little positioning himself between his friend's legs before pushing himself in.

Will moaned, arching back as Horace immediately found the right spot. Seeing the ranger's reaction, he pulled out, then thrust again hard on that same spot. Will cried out in pleasure, and Horace gasped as his friend squeezed tighter around him.

He kept on assaulting that spot until Will's breaths were coming in erratic gasps, the fingers of his good hand clutching uselessly at the blankets beneath him.

"I… think I'm… close…!" The ranger moaned breathlessly, and his partner wasn't far behind him.

With one more good thrust, Will came, and Horace followed seconds later, filling the ranger with his warm seed.

Horace pulled out, and was about to sit up when Will's good arm came to wrap around his neck, pulling him back down into a kiss. Even when the kiss ended, Will didn't let Horace go.

"Can you… stay just a little longer…?" the ranger asked quietly.

Horace smiled softly, gently removing Will's arm from around his neck, and scooting over to lay down in the small space beside him. Will immediately snuggled in closer to the warrior, and Horace wrapped his arms around him as he did so.

"Horace…" Will started, his voice quiet and uncertain, "I… really don't know what's going to happen to me now… I'm…. scared…" He felt his eyes start to sting with his confession, and tried to hide his face in the warrior's chest.

"I know", Horace said softly, wrapping his arms tighter around him, and Will gladly nestled in closer to his warmth.

Will knew he would have to open the letter, and face whatever was to become of him soon, but for now he just wanted to delay that inevitable moment a little longer. They stayed like that for a long while, but eventually Horace had to get going.

The warrior had to help Will redress, as he wasn't quite used to doing the task one-handed. Their final goodbyes took a long while, as Horace was still obviously nervous about leaving his friend alone, but Will did his best at convincing him that he would be fine even if he wasn't quite feeling it.

It was only when the warrior had finally set off that Will turned his sights to the letter still laying on the bedside table. The things you feared only became worse if you never faced them. The young ranger took a deep breath before finally breaking the seal.

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><p><em>Why be so scared about the letter? If they were going to have to kick you out of the ranger corps, they'd probably want to tell you in person. …Dramatic effect for the end of the chapter, that's why. lol<em>

_Hmm… I'm realizing I might need to refresh myself on my Ranger's Apprentice know-how. Writing this I had a lot of trouble remembering the names of locations. Looking them up after I finished, I did not get a single one right. Ugh._

_Next update might take a little while as I've got some things I need to sort out with it before writing. But I hope you enjoyed this first chapter at least, and please review!_

_~angel-san_


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